2012: A Look Ahead

You don't need to be psychic to know where and when to be in the gay new year

Being that so much of the future is uncertain, it’s wise to pin down what you can. Will Nibiru materialize out of nowhere and give a boost to doomsday cred? Will Rick Santorum blaze a trail to the White House (giving another boost to doomsday cred)? Who can say?

In a universe of so much chaos, at least some variables are more or less fixed. Certainly, it will be a political year.

”We know it’s going to be a very, very busy year for us,” confirms Lateefah Williams, president of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, looking at the months ahead that include April 3 primaries and the Nov. 6 general election. ”Locally, we’re going to be very active. In addition to efforts in D.C., we’ll be in nearby swing states.”

Williams says election years also tend to bring more members into the fold. The same goes for her GOP counterpart, Robert Turner, president of the D.C. chapter of Log Cabin Republicans. ”I wasn’t around four years ago, but people tell me there’s an uptick during presidential elections,” he says. ”We have 50 or so members; we’re going to try to boost that to 100.”

LGBT Virginians will likely be busy keeping an eye on Ken Cuccinelli’s run for governor – in that the Republican attorney general has a grim reputation with the LGBT community – while Marylanders will be gunning for marriage equality and antidiscrimination protections for transgender people.

”This is going to be the year for all hands on deck,” says Carrie Evans, Equality Maryland’s new executive director. ”We’ve said that before, but 2012 is a window we have to get through.”

Among the new groups joining the effort for 2012 is the recently formed Gender Rights Maryland. With the tenacious Dr. Dana Beyer serving as executive director, there may be fireworks in Annapolis long before July.

Just days after the Maryland General Assembly begins its 2012 session, locals will come together to march in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., with a Jan. 16 parade. The LGBT contingent includes the Stein Democrats, the DC Coalition and The Center, D.C.’s LGBT community center.

The Center will be on the move in another regard in 2012.

”It’s possible we might have to move in July,” says David Mariner, The Center’s executive director, explaining that the organization’s U Street lease expires in June. ”We’re exploring our options. The Reeves Center has tons of empty storefront space. That would be an amazing opportunity for us.”

As The Center works through its 10th anniversary year, time will tell.

On the arts front, 2012 is also the year that will see the last hurrah of the DC Cowboys dance troupe, who have announced their farewell tour. One In Ten, on the other hand, says it’s full-steam ahead in 2012, though that may mean some tweaks to what’s on offer.

”We’re definitely talking about revitalizing the ‘Walk the Red Carpet‘ spring fundraiser,” says Lisa King, president of the LGBT arts and culture group that marked its 20th annual Reel Affirmations LGBT film festival in 2011. She adds that there are seats at the table for a few arts enthusiasts who might like to join the board and help the organization plot its path through 2012 and beyond.

It may not be where arts and politics collide, but plenty else does among sporting sort, also on the move in 2012. Team DC will bring back its dodgeball tourney, expand its ”Night Out” offerings and generally keep the ball moving.

”We want to do more events this year. We want to try to reach out to more women,” says Brent Minor, Team DC program director. That might mean adding a Night Out at the D.C. Divas women’s football in 2012, for example. Certainly, Team DC will be heading back to Night Out at the Mystics, begun in 2011, for women’s basketball. Minor also advises to keep an ear out for a possible big announcement from the sports coalition in July.

All in all, Nibiru or not, 2012 is shaping up to be a year to remember. It will have its highs and its lows, and even the mundane. To help you plan your own stellar 2012, what follows is a substantial list of just some of what’s heading our way in the new year.

MONDAY, FEB. 13

TUESDAY, FEB. 14

Valentine’s Day

SATURDAY, FEB. 18

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., is joined by Pittsburgh-based Dreams of Hope for The Kids Are All Right, featuring songs and stories from LGBT youth and alliesLisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW 8 p.m. Tickets $20-$50 202-293-1548gmcw.org

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